Washington needs to de-escalate its rhetoric and cease using tariffs under the guise of national security, the president of the powerful Federation of German Industries (BDI) said on Monday (23 July) in Berlin, ahead of Wednesday's meeting between US President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.

During visits to Berlin, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Finance Minister Thierry Breton have welcomed German efforts to put an end to the socio-economic depression that the country has been going through.